Grenade attacks in Imphal

Militants on Wednesday morning breached a security cordon and lobbed a Chinese-made hand grenade on the commercial premises of a gas agency at Chingmeiroing near here.

However, there were no casualties as the premises were not open and customers had not yet arrived, the police said. But the main building bore pockmarks of shrapnel.

The police believe that the militants might have attacked the premises as the owner declined to pay illegal taxes. No arrest has been made.

On Monday night, another Chinese-made hand grenade was exploded at the residence of Hijam Ibotombi, an executive engineer, from whom extortion money was demanded, the police said.

Two hand grenades were also lobbed into the house of Irengbam Rabei, a gram panchayat pradhan. It is said militants demanded the lion’s share of funds meant for the poor. Meanwhile, people protested against a bomb explosion at a house at Uripok here.